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〃Yes； I think he was。 I know that so far as those three keys are
concerned he kept them on the same ring。 I have often seen them
there。〃
〃And that ring went with him to London？〃
〃He said so。〃
〃And your key never left your possession？〃
〃Never。〃
〃Then West； if he is the culprit； must have had a duplicate。 And
yet none was found upon his body。 One other point： if a clerk
in this office desired to sell the plans； would it not be simply
to copy the plans for himself than to take the originals； as was
actually done？〃
〃It would take considerable technical knowledge to copy the plans
in an effective way。〃
〃But I suppose either Sir James； or you； or West has that
technical knowledge？〃
〃No doubt we had； but I beg you won't try to drag me into the
matter； Mr。 Holmes。 What is the use of our speculating in this
way when the original plans were actually found on West？〃
〃Well； it is certainly singular that he should run the risk of
taking originals if he could safely have taken copies； which
would have equally served his turn。〃
〃Singular； no doubt……and yet he did so。〃
〃Every inquiry in this case reveals something inexplicable。 Now
there are three papers still missing。 They are； as I understand；
the vital ones。〃
〃Yes； that is so。〃
〃Do you mean to say that anyone holding these three papers； and
without the seven others； could construct a Bruce…Partington
submarine？〃
〃I reported to that effect to the Admiralty。 But to…day I have
been over the drawings again； and I am not so sure of it。 The
double valves with the automatic self…adjusting slots are drawn
in one of the papers which have been returned。 Until the
foreigners had invented that for themselves they could not make
the boat。 Of course they might soon get over the difficulty。〃
〃But the three missing drawings are the most important？〃
〃Undoubtedly。〃
〃I think； with your permission； I will now take a stroll round
the premises。 I do not recall any other question which I desired
to ask。〃
He examined the lock of the safe； the door of the room； and
finally the iron shutters of the window。 It was only when we
were on the lawn outside that his interest was strongly excited。
There was a laurel bush outside the window； and several of the
branches bore signs of having been twisted or snapped。 He
examined them carefully with his lens； and then some dim and
vague marks upon the earth beneath。 Finally he asked the chief
clerk to close the iron shutters； and he pointed out to me that
they hardly met in the centre； and that it would be possible for
anyone outside to see what was going on within the room。
〃The indications are ruined by three days' delay。 They may mean
something or nothing。 Well； Watson； I do not think that Woolwich
can help us further。 It is a small crop which we have gathered。
Let us see if we can do better in London。〃
Yet we added one more sheaf to our harvest before we left
Woolwich Station。 The clerk in the ticket office was able to say
with confidence that he saw Cadogan West……whom he knew well by
sight……upon the Monday night； and that he went to London by the
8：15 to London Bridge。 He was alone and took a single third…
class ticket。 The clerk was struck at the time by his excited
and nervous manner。 So shaky was he that he could hardly pick up
his change； and the clerk had helped him with it。 A reference to
the timetable showed that the 8：15 was the first train which it
was possible for West to take after he had left the lady about
7：30。
〃Let us reconstruct； Watson；〃 said Holmes after half an hour of
silence。 〃I am not aware that in all our joint researches we
have ever had a case which was more difficult to get at。 Every
fresh advance which we make only reveals a fresh ridge beyond。
And yet we have surely made some appreciable progress。
〃The effect of our inquiries at Woolwich has in the main been
against young Cadogan West； but the indications at the window
would lend themselves to a more favourable hypothesis。 Let us
suppose； for example； that he had been approached by some foreign
agent。 It might have been done under such pledges as would have
prevented him from speaking of it； and yet would have affected
his thoughts in the direction indicated by his remarks to his
fiancee。 Very good。 We will now suppose that as he went to the
theatre with the young lady he suddenly； in the fog； caught a
glimpse of this same agent going in the direction of the office。
He was an impetuous man； quick in his decisions。 Everything gave
way to his duty。 He followed the man； reached the window； saw
the abstraction of the documents； and pursued the thief。 In this
way we get over the objection that no one would take originals
when he could make copies。 This outsider had to take originals。
So far it holds together。〃
〃What is the next step？〃
〃Then we e into difficulties。 One would imagine that under
such circumstances the first act of young Cadogan West would be
to seize the villain and raise the alarm。 Why did he not do so？
Could it have been an official superior who took the papers？
That would explain West's conduct。 Or could the chief have given
West the slip in the fog； and West started at once to London to
head him off from his own rooms； presuming that he knew where the
rooms were？ The call must have been very pressing； since he left
his girl standing in the fog and made no effort to municate
with her。 Our scent runs cold here； and there is a vast gap
between either hypothesis and the laying of West's body； with
seven papers in his pocket； on the roof of a Metropolitan train。
My instinct now is to work form the other end。 If Mycroft has
given us the list of addresses we may be able to pick our man and
follow two tracks instead of one。〃
Surely enough； a note awaited us at Baker Street。 A government
messenger had brought it post…haste。 Holmes glanced at it and
threw it over to me。
There are numerous small fry； but few who would handle so big an
affair。 The only men worth considering are Adolph Mayer； of 13
Great George Street； Westminster； Louis La Rothiere； of Campden
Mansions； Notting Hill； and Hugo Oberstein； 13 Caulfield Gardens；
Kensington。 The latter was known to be in town on Monday and is
now reported as having left。 Glad to hear you have seen some
light。 The Cabi awaits your final report with the utmost
anxiety。 Urgent representations have arrived from the very
highest quarter。 The whole force of the State is at your back if
you should need it。
Mycroft。
〃I'm afraid；〃 said Holmes； smiling； 〃that all the queen's horses
and all the queen's men cannot avail in this matter。〃 He had
spread out his big map of London and leaned eagerly over it。
〃Well； well；〃 said he presently with an exclamation of
satisfaction； 〃things are turning a little in our direction at
last。 Why； Watson； I do honestly believe that we are going to
pull it off； after all。〃 He slapped me on the shoulder with a
sudden burst of hilarity。 〃I am going out now。 It is only a
reconnaissance。 I will do nothing serious without my trusted
rade and biographer at my elbow。 Do you stay here； and the
odds are that you will see me again in an hour or two。 If time
hangs heavy get foolscap and a pen； and begin your narrative of
how we saved the State。〃
I felt some reflection of his elation in my own mind； for I knew
well that he would not depart so far from his usual austerity of
demeanour unless there was good cause for exultation。 All the
long November evening I waited； filled with impatience for his
return。 At last； shortly after nine o'clock； there arrived a
messenger with a note：
Am dining at Goldini's Restaurant； Gloucester Road； Kensington。
Please e at once and join me there。 Bring with you a jemmy； a
dark lantern； a chisel； and a revolver。
S。H。
It ent for a respectable citizen to carry
through the dim； fog…draped streets。 I stowed them all
discreetly away in my overcoat and drove straight to the address
given。 There sat my friend at a little round table near the door
of the garish Italian restaurant。
〃Have you had something to eat？ Then join me in a coffee and
curacao。 Try on